Symptoms of a Dog Poisoned With Ratsak

Ratsak is a commercial rat poison that kills rats by preventing the vitamin K inside the animal's body from working to clot blood. Unfortunately, non-target animals, such as your family dog, may find the rat poison and ingest it. When this occurs, your dog may suffer from toxic poisoning that can result in shock or death. Knowing the symptoms of Ratsak poisoning will help you detect poisoning early and seek timely medical attention for your dog.

  1. Bleeding

    • Since Ratsak affects the blood's clotting ability, a dog that ingests the poison can experience bleeding problems. The first signs of poisoning usually occur 36 to 72 hours after ingestion, depending on the amount of poison ingested and the size of the dog, according to Pet Informed Veterinary Advice Online. Bleeding can occur internally or externally. You may notice blood in your dog's urine or feces. He may vomit blood, have blood in his saliva, or bleed from his nose.

      When you cannot see blood outside your dog's body, you may notice the effects of internal bleeding. For example, when blood pools in the chest cavity, your dog will develop labored breathing. Shortness of breath is also common in dogs with bleeding in their lungs, according to Pet Informed Veterinary Advice Online. If bleeding occurs in the skull cavity, you may notice paralysis or tremors.

    Anemia

    • As bleeding occurs, your dog will likely develop anemia. Anemia is a low red blood cell or hemoglobin count. A dog suffering from anemia usually has pale gums. Also, as red blood cells are depleted, your dog will become lethargic and weak. You may notice that she is sleeping more or lacks motivation for normal activities.

    Non-Specific Symptoms

    • Although bleeding and signs of anemia are the most common and recognizable symptoms of Ratsak poisoning, there are a number of other non-specific symptoms. These are symptoms that could also indicate other problems. However, if you have Ratsak in your home, you should advise your vet so that poisoning can be considered. Your dog may develop a fever, according to Pet Informed Veterinary Advice Online. He may have an increased heart rate, or he may collapse when there is no obvious reason for a collapse to occur.